Presented in glorious remastered stereo sound, this medley from the 1980 TV Special "Music x 3" is the Carpenters at their best. I hope you enjoy this rare gem...
I had the privilege of knowing the Carpenters who were regular customers at Paramount Camera, in Downey. Karen was a fun-loving woman whose personality could light up the room, as well as her voice lit up stereo speakers. Tragedy took her from us. Technology keeps her voice alive for all of us to enjoy!
Mark you are really blessed knowing them! I was born in 1971, so I was too young to see them live. And I come from Germany and the Carpenters weren't as well known as in the US. Fortunately I grew up with Americans. They lived upstairs in our house and they were automatically part of our family, too. And they also listened to Carpenters-music. 😀 The Carpenters shared their incredible and wonderful god-given gifts with us... thank you to Richard and Karen! I will always love to listen to them...
i love both this version of someday and the original version when karen was all of 19.. all i know is i literally BAWL at the lyrics of this song and her voice, both versions...
They were miming. Badly. So yeah, recorded is right. No idea why because I saw them live three times and they definitely didn't need to mime, they were as good on stage as they were in the studio, but for some reason in this particular show they're clearly not singing live.
Her voice is like medicine to my soul. Like the finest silk to ever lay your body down on, like the smoothest butter to ever taste. Karen Carpenter's voice was just flawless. We miss you, songbird.
That is so well said about Karen. No one will ever come close, I am sure she is teaching angels to sing, her voice was so so beautiful. You can't explain how good it was.
Richard and Karen's voices merged together so perfectly that even decades later, their music, a peculiar mixture of country, gospel, classical music and a little bit of rock, remains delightful to listen to. What they created can never be replicated.
I could watch this for hours and hours. An incredible 9m28s of just beautiful music and harmonies.Karen’s voice is unsurpassable imo.Such a tragedy to lose her so young,all those songs she might have sung… RIP Karen xxx
Wow.....that was simply fantastic!!!!! I am a 69 year old man that has ALWAYS loved Karen Carpenter's beautiful voice (and Richard's arrangements). This brought tears to my eyes!!
No one, no one will ever match the magic of this woman. Her vocal control is so beautiful it's almost shocking. I'm atheist, but her talent convinces me that yes, there might be a God.
THE GREATEST FEMALE VOICE IN THE HISTORY OF RECORDED SOUND....I HAVE WATCHED THIS CLIP A HUNDRED TIMES AND IT NEVER GETS OLD. WHAT A TALENT, WHAT A CAREER AND WHAT A SHAME SHE IS NO LONGER WITH US......THE LATE, GREAT KAREN CARPENTER!
my sentiments exactly! no one comes remotely close to her in terms of the purity, richness, intimate, moving, perfect diction, how she phrased words and told the story of the song, everything!...
It's a wonderful medley, and the inclusion of Someday is a real treat. I consider it one of those Carpenters' album tracks which are overlooked gems, along with Eve, Maybe It's You, A Place to Hide Away, Road Ode, One More Time (and many others) .
The carpenters being brother and sister, their siblings harmonies are unmatched, they were both perfectionists, and k ow we have these classic sings to enjoy for many years to come!
I love 8:21, when Karen puts her arm around Richard's shoulder as she sings "together" during "We've Only Just Begun" and the loving look she gives him. She absolutely adored Richard, and you can see it here. He must miss her so much.
@@kck9742 Getting married then heading to the bank every other day to withdraw. Its never stops. No wonder the game of Life was so popular back in the day. On a serious note, guys, real men provide for and protect their wives. Losers pretend to be something their not while using their wives as ATM machines for free money. 😎
@@j.c.b6473 I think Richard felt threatened -- he was a great pianist and arranger, but he would never have gotten where he did without Karen. He needed her, but she didn't really need him.
J.C. B Nice try. Keep regurgitating that false story. Carpenters still had contractual obligations and her LP was going to cost them $600K in out-of-sequence costs from the record company.
What were the odds of it happening? How did a young boy, Richard, who had recognizable musical genius at an early age, just happen to have, a few years after his birth, a little baby sister named Karen, who would grow to become, arguably, the best popular singer of the twentieth century? The Angels, I suppose, have always confused people by their instructions from God but in this instance, I have always felt blessed by the Carpenters having lived on this Earth!
+Betsy Pilgreen I wondered the same thing. It must have something to do with genetics I suppose. Karen had one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. Even at the end when she was so sick her voice did not fail her. Sometimes when Karen is singing I imagine she is performing in an opera, her voice was so remarkable. Karen was a gifted artist and like many gifted people life was difficult for her at times. She always seemed so fragile. RIP Karen.
+Mike E I think it all comes down to having extremely good health and peak vigor at the onset of ones formative years. Intelligence, diligence, being practiced an well versed, unrelenting acumen, professionalism, and a yearning to make a statement, striving to be who you think you are, and showing the world what you are made out of deep down inside..... and being able to emote, interpret, and express these deep down feelings, so succinctly that you just NAIL IT.... and VOILA, the witnessing bystanders/audience 'Get's It' Did I say that right?
The Bee Gees brothers all had wonderful singing voices; but I don’t know much about the work they did to put their work out. We know lots about The Carpenters’ hard work behind each of their music and performances because of the many interviews of Richard and Karen.
Some creatures are just to beautiful and sensitive for this cruel world. Karen was certainly one of those. Her voice just goes right to that part me that makes me want to burst into tears. It's really beautiful!
+torres songs . In the back of my mind, reflecting on who she was deep down inside, a real no nonsense, three dimensional character, who was an honest to goodness, true-to-form, beautiful inside and out, possessing a serious mind, deep and profound thought, perfectionism, dynamic in her capacity, which made her into this highly sought after creature...... I mean, who could she trust. The man she did finally trust, Burris, which she married, turned out to be this duplicitous, greedy, grasping, fraudulent, lying, bastard, monster BoyMan. I'm think subconsciously, inadvertently, accidentally, or otherwise, she died from extreme loneliness, eventually medicating herself to death. Her poor little body couldn't take any more. I like to think that God Himself took her so she wouldn't have to suffer so much, and she's singing to a greater, more appreciative heavenly/galactic audience. Its a nice thought.... don't you think?
Oh my goodness! What a special treat. Think of how much more there could have been. 😢 I was so fortunate to grow up during the radio years where the Carpenters music was in heavy rotation on both AM and FM radio. It was a magical time. Thank you for posting. 🥰
My heart just breaks, watching this video again. This was THE last time I & most of us, ever saw Karen sing. I recall being shocked at how thin she was --it just didn't look right, & there was a sadness in her eyes, I had never before then, noticed. I believe --could be wrong here, but I don't think so--that " Touch Me When We're Dancing" came out after this, & in the music vid, Karen looked so thin, I knew there was something deeply, tragically, wrong. It made watching that video, impossible. ---Karen's voice was just unlike any other I've ever heard. I miss her, every day. Wolfsky9
The perfect combination: Burt Bacharach compositions, Richard Carpenter arrengments and the incredible voice of Karen. This definitely doen´t make it easy on me. I´m crying already.
THAT VOICE! THEE VOICE! as pure as the purest untouched spring, as smooth and clear as the finest silk, as rich and moving and intimate as the smell of the most intoxicating burning wood.. add in how she was the epitome of a singer who sang TO YOU NOT AT YOU, to where you felt she was sitting next to you and singing ONLY FOR YOU, her perfect diction and enunciation of every syllable for every word for every song she ever sang, how she emoted and phrased and told the story of the song, makes her in my opinion the greatest female singer of love and romance found and lost ever.. truly a once in a lifetime or two lifetime talent....
I've said almost the very same thing. When Karen sings, it sounds as if she's exactly right in front of you, singing personally and directly to you. I know that iffy, questionable, bizarre, and that I must sound like a lunatic..... but trust me.... That's that's precisely what it feels like. I know I'm just a knucklehead fanboy deluxe.....don't mind me. I miss her so much. We all do.
Could not have said it any better, totally agree with everything you said. Karen’s voice has soothed me since i was 12 yrs old taking notice of lyrics and voices seriously. Am 61 now and pretty sure i will never hear a better singer.
Agreed 100%. I don't know how I missed or forgot about this medley, but I heard it today and was blown away by it. It is absolutely their best medley they did, by a LONG shot. So beautifully arranged-- It stays in this beautiful, special place and never leaves... it's soothing and powerful. That orchestral/choral swell at the end during "We've Only Just Begun" just washes over you like a warm and inviting wave of love... and makes me want to cry every time.
gives me goosebumps up and down my spine in the beauty of her voice as well as makes me bawl everytime i hear this medley! as she sings "make it easy on yourself" so moving, when she sings "someday" so haunting and intimate and beyond beautiful and then of course "we've only just begun" where when i listen to her and her brother's harmonies together when they sing together "we smile, so much of life ahead, will find a place where there's room to grow"... i just melt down to my soul in it's beauty and perfection and yes, sadness.....the most beautiful voice i have ever heard and i know i will ever hear..
drogersnm well thanks for the compliment and you have good taste as well! i was just thinking if only if only i could have actually been on that set listening to that voice throughout the soundstage! i mean you talk about thinking you were in heaven! it would have been on my bucket list! as you might (and others) surmise she is my favorite female singer of all time! while i have many other favorite female and male singers in various genres, she is "IT" for me at the top..
+thomas schmitz Karen and Richard's backing vocals on this, (not the O.K. Chorale) are so slick and flawless here. They just got better and better production wise as they went along in their career. It would be interesting to see where they would be now in the world of music,...much needed I would have to say.
Heavenly. I just close my eyes, and Karen's voice takes me to another dimension. Glad I grew up listening to best female singing voice the world has ever known. ❤
"Someday" is beyond magical. She has such command of her voice, and she really tells the story, filling it with promise and optimism. It's a lovely thing to watch and hear. A very grownup love song, sung by a grownup, which Karen had finally become.
i bawl everytime i hear her sing someday whether this version or the original version... gets me EVERY TIME!.. the lyrics AND THAT VOICE and of course no one told the story of the song, emoted and phased the song better and she was and is and always will be THEE epitome of the singer who sang TO YOU, NOT AT YOU!...
Extraordinary to think she recorded the original album track when she was just 19 and apparently had a cold on the day of the recording! Thankfully, she got a chance to re-record it, at least partially, for this TV special. "Someday"is one of Carpenters' hidden gems.
Someday is one of my favorite songs by them and she had such an angelic voice, she inspired me to play drums and I just love her. I wish she was around today. Love you Karen!
+mbblover .....I like to think of her as the premier. female voice of the 20th Century. I know, everyone else swears up and down that it got to be Barbra Streisand, hands down. Barbra has no people skills, and is a bitch on wheels, to boot. Karen was beautiful inside and out. Not a bad bone in her body did she possess, the milk of human kindness, salt of the earth, her character and soul was a tribute, and as witnessed by her friends and peers, was shown to be a perfect example of what a real human being is made out of. Did that make sense, or is this gibberish. She Was ' Da BOMB'!!!
apples and oranges the comparison between karen and barbra.. karen was more the crooner, barbra more the belter.... i still think karen was THEE epitome of the singer who sang TO YOU, and don't you and everyone wants that in regards to a love and romance song? also think barbra tended to "show off" and "get off" on hearing herself sing... barbra used a sledgehammer and karen a feather to reach the listener... karen let her voice and how she told the story of the song to reach the listener, barbra used her powerful voice and theatrics to do so... in closing, both are great singers obviously, just different styles, even richard her brother said that karen was just as great as barbra just different styles... streisand when she first met karen told her she had a "marvelous instrument' (GEE, YOU THINK?!).... and while so love streisand's powerful vocal ability and soaring vocals, for me, karen using her lower register is just as powerful and moving as streisand using her high vocals.... also, i believe that karen could have sung anything barbra sang... i can't imagine barbra singing any of karen's uptempo songs....
Thanks to the Carpenters for making me - and certainly millions of people - happy throughout more than four decades...Thank you for posting this superb video too.
As Desi Arnaz was the unsung mastermind behind Lucille Ball's comic superstardom, Richard's incredibly lush and beautiful arrangements served as the perfect counterpoint to Karen's heavenly voice and purity. The Bacharach medley is flawless.. His work was simply amazing and deserves more credit than usually given.
Such a beautiful example of why the Carpenters remain one of the most important acts in popular music. Their sheer musicality; the detail, the elegance, and that voice.
I've always felt that the pain she carried in her mind gave her voice that special quality that reached into my heart and told me that she was there for me. I love her and miss her. Thank you Karen for being there on those lonely days and weeks.
Wow! Kudos to whoever remastered the sound... what a combination... great songs, REAL LIVE musicians, Richard's arrangements and Karen's voice... can't get any better than this clip...
Wow!!! This video i've never seen. What a perfect set of various melodies to listen to online. Karen Carpenter captured the tone and nuances of the lyrics and melodies. Along witn Richard's adept touch on the keyboard and piano, their gorgeous voices blend effortlessly together. Thank you so much for uploading this video. It was sheer heaven to my ears. Gosh, i wish Karen was still here to move the public with her angelic voice. There is no one that can hold a candle to these two masters at music making. Their group is sorely missed. 🎹🎶🎼🎤💖
Beautiful medley! Beautiful voice! nobody could do it with that perfection!! Karen I gonna miss you rest of my life beautiful angel!! Nobody like you.....nobody!
Most beautiful voice. Unmatched. I’m learning new old songs because of them. I like Knowing When to Leave, searched other versions and hers is just the best, so beautiful. 🥰💕
Yes. Back then, stereo on over-the-air television did not exist. So viewers heard the usual mono mix. Fortunately, Richard was smart to record & save full isolated tracks prior to taping (a typical practice) that could be remastered later for inclusion on future stereo albums. Today we can enjoy the music -in stereo- synced perfectly with the original video. Great job!
it's like listening to a drum corps warming up it is just that good and her voice is hauntingly good, I try to match the pitch from her and Richard with my voice. My singing voice left me after high school 28 years ago
I had the pleasure to see them in concert twice i kept bugging my parents to take me and lucky for me they did I'll never forget it. Karen i miss you for in my life I've never been touched like this before
I'll never know how we did it. but my Mum and I managed to get front-row seats for their concert at Birmingham Hippodrome on their (postponed from the previous year) UK tour in November 1976. They had an audience participation segment in that show during "Sing", and Karen came along the front row on our side of the theatre. Mum and I actually got to share a mic briefly with the greatest female pop singer of all time, it still astonishes me, 46 years later!
I Know!!! What A Mess. Such a great loss. Now who is going to sing to us like she did.......No one. She was one of a kind. I'm trying not to cry.....It's not working...
Music to make a grown man cry his eyes out!
I had the privilege of knowing the Carpenters who were regular customers at Paramount Camera, in Downey. Karen was a fun-loving woman whose personality could light up the room, as well as her voice lit up stereo speakers. Tragedy took her from us. Technology keeps her voice alive for all of us to enjoy!
Thanks for sharing that story. How well did you get to know them if you do not mind me asking?
Karen comes across as genuine. Her speaking voice suggests friendliness.
Wow! You were very blessed to know her! Thank you for sharing!💙
Instablaster.
Mark you are really blessed knowing them!
I was born in 1971, so I was too young to see them live. And I come from Germany and the Carpenters weren't as well known as in the US. Fortunately I grew up with Americans. They lived upstairs in our house and they were automatically part of our family, too. And they also listened to Carpenters-music. 😀
The Carpenters shared their incredible and wonderful god-given gifts with us... thank you to Richard and Karen! I will always love to listen to them...
Mesmorizing is the word to describe Karen Carpenters voice. A voice NEVER to be forgotten.
mesmerizing
"Someday" My God...Perfection absolute perfection! Karen, you are missed...RIP
i love both this version of someday and the original version when karen was all of 19.. all i know is i literally BAWL at the lyrics of this song and her voice, both versions...
Nine of the best recorded minutes of music in history. 'Make it Easy on Yourself' highlights an amazing medley of crystal clear perfection.
Yes, it is perfection. None better.
❤
❤
They were miming. Badly. So yeah, recorded is right. No idea why because I saw them live three times and they definitely didn't need to mime, they were as good on stage as they were in the studio, but for some reason in this particular show they're clearly not singing live.
No one, no one sings like her......Angelic and natural...She has the most beautiful voice to grace the earth.
Kathy Mattea.
@@ReneeNme KAREN'S VOICE HAS A LIGHT, A SPECIAL SWEETNESS AND AFFECTION.
Bobert Wiltshire omg 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Agree, no one sings like her applause from Brazil 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
Agreed.
Her voice is like medicine to my soul. Like the finest silk to ever lay your body down on, like the smoothest butter to ever taste. Karen Carpenter's voice was just flawless. We miss you, songbird.
"Her voice is like medicine to my soul." Oh, soooo true.
Perfectly put. Just perfection.
That is so well said about Karen. No one will ever come close, I am sure she is teaching angels to sing, her voice was so so beautiful. You can't explain how good it was.
@@skijock486 Beautifully stated ❤
Just love❤❤❤. Seppo from Finland🎉😊
Richard and Karen's voices merged together so perfectly that even decades later, their music, a peculiar mixture of country, gospel, classical music and a little bit of rock, remains delightful to listen to. What they created can never be replicated.
I could watch this for hours and hours.
An incredible 9m28s of just beautiful music and harmonies.Karen’s voice is unsurpassable imo.Such a tragedy to lose her so young,all those songs she might have sung…
RIP Karen xxx
Wow.....that was simply fantastic!!!!! I am a 69 year old man that has ALWAYS loved Karen Carpenter's beautiful voice (and Richard's arrangements). This brought tears to my eyes!!
What a performance, both instrumentally and vocally. Ultimate perfection!
A true musical masterpiece thank you Richard and Karen for these wonderful memories!
No one, no one will ever match the magic of this woman. Her vocal control is so beautiful it's almost shocking. I'm atheist, but her talent convinces me that yes, there might be a God.
AMEN! God is there! Karen has been with God for many years! She had a strong belief in God!
I am now 76 and she still makes my eyes well up at the sound of her voice.
THE GREATEST FEMALE VOICE IN THE HISTORY OF RECORDED SOUND....I HAVE WATCHED THIS CLIP A HUNDRED TIMES AND IT NEVER GETS OLD. WHAT A TALENT, WHAT A CAREER AND WHAT A SHAME SHE IS NO LONGER WITH US......THE LATE, GREAT KAREN CARPENTER!
my sentiments exactly! no one comes remotely close to her in terms of the purity, richness, intimate, moving, perfect diction, how she phrased words and told the story of the song, everything!...
JOHN MURPHY
John
I have said that many times! When I am asked who is the best female singer?
Karen Carpenter!!
Is my answer!
A voice of Honey!
I really like your statement. I totally agree Barbra Striesand and Celine Dion don't even come close. Even though they are great in their own way.
A great big AMEN to that, brother!!
Well said. She was one in a million...a billion!
Karen Carpenter is the best female vocalist ever! Her vocals were perfect and the harmony between her and Richard was absolutely wonderful!
This is SUBLIME!-----like a dream you never want to wake up from-------.........SOMEDAY!--------Timeless...........Forever.............
It's a wonderful medley, and the inclusion of Someday is a real treat. I consider it one of those Carpenters' album tracks which are overlooked gems, along with Eve, Maybe It's You, A Place to Hide Away, Road Ode, One More Time (and many others) .
@@denisej4813 Yes!----Never has a voice seemed so ethereal!----look that word up!
This is when music was great, and woman had class!!!!!👍👍👍
The vocal harmonies and orchestral arrangements in this are totally insane.
The carpenters being brother and sister, their siblings harmonies are unmatched, they were both perfectionists, and k ow we have these classic sings to enjoy for many years to come!
the harmonies at the end...unmatched !!
The absolute best Medley by the Carpenters! The Carpenters will live on as the best!
Karen looks amazing in this, her hair style suits her
She is beautiful
When music was really music ... those days are sure gone!
There will never quite be another singer like Karen Carpenter!
Karen and Richard, a gift to the world of music.
I love 8:21, when Karen puts her arm around Richard's shoulder as she sings "together" during "We've Only Just Begun" and the loving look she gives him. She absolutely adored Richard, and you can see it here. He must miss her so much.
And he let her down and sabotaged her solo album because of his ego.
@Goofy to think it was originally in a bank commercial!
@@kck9742 Getting married then heading to the bank every other day to withdraw. Its never stops. No wonder the game of Life was so popular back in the day. On a serious note, guys, real men provide for and protect their wives. Losers pretend to be something their not while using their wives as ATM machines for free money. 😎
@@j.c.b6473 I think Richard felt threatened -- he was a great pianist and arranger, but he would never have gotten where he did without Karen. He needed her, but she didn't really need him.
J.C. B Nice try. Keep regurgitating that false story. Carpenters still had contractual obligations and her LP was going to cost them $600K in out-of-sequence costs from the record company.
The World was a better place because of these two entertainers. And, when Karen left us, I'm afraid she took something special with her.
Kent C. Carpenter No doubt she did. 😓
So much class, style and refinement - nothing like this has been on American TV in decades.
What were the odds of it happening? How did a young boy, Richard, who had recognizable musical genius at an early age, just happen to have, a few years after his birth, a little baby sister named Karen, who would grow to become, arguably, the best popular singer of the twentieth century? The Angels, I suppose, have always confused people by their instructions from God but in this instance, I have always felt blessed by the Carpenters having lived on this Earth!
+Betsy Pilgreen
I wondered the same thing. It must have something to do with genetics I suppose. Karen had one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. Even at the end when she was so sick her voice did not fail her. Sometimes when Karen is singing I imagine she is performing in an opera, her voice was so remarkable. Karen was a gifted artist and like many gifted people life was difficult for her at times. She always seemed so fragile. RIP Karen.
+Mike E I think it all comes down to having extremely good health and peak vigor at the onset of ones formative years. Intelligence, diligence, being practiced an well versed, unrelenting acumen, professionalism, and a yearning to make a statement, striving to be who you think you are, and showing the world what you are made out of deep down inside..... and being able to emote, interpret, and express these deep down feelings, so succinctly that you just NAIL IT.... and VOILA, the witnessing bystanders/audience 'Get's It' Did I say that right?
The Bee Gees brothers all had wonderful singing voices; but I don’t know much about the work they did to put their work out. We know lots about The Carpenters’ hard work behind each of their music and performances because of the many interviews of Richard and Karen.
The L Word Fans Center We have even more information about The Bee Gees as they were around longer.
How beautiful can you get? This Medley is just pure awesome! The Carpenters are what America is all about! I love the Carpenters!
I think I’ve watched this clip about 1,000 times.
This video makes me wanna cry and smile at the same time))
+Eliana agree.. so so beautiful and so so sad....forever in our minds and hearts and souls karen carpenter....
+Eliana Karen certainly had the unique gift of making you want to smile and cry at the same time.
Me too.
Some creatures are just to beautiful and sensitive for this cruel world. Karen was certainly one of those. Her voice just goes right to that part me that makes me want to burst into tears. It's really beautiful!
+torres songs . In the back of my mind, reflecting on who she was deep down inside, a real no nonsense, three dimensional character, who was an honest to goodness, true-to-form, beautiful inside and out, possessing a serious mind, deep and profound thought, perfectionism, dynamic in her capacity, which made her into this highly sought after creature...... I mean, who could she trust. The man she did finally trust, Burris, which she married, turned out to be this duplicitous, greedy, grasping, fraudulent, lying, bastard, monster BoyMan. I'm think subconsciously, inadvertently, accidentally, or otherwise, she died from extreme loneliness, eventually medicating herself to death. Her poor little body couldn't take any more. I like to think that God Himself took her so she wouldn't have to suffer so much, and she's singing to a greater, more appreciative heavenly/galactic audience. Its a nice thought.... don't you think?
So glad I happened upon this video medley. Thanks for the Carpenters and thanks for this video.
One word PERFECTION
Oh my goodness! What a special treat. Think of how much more there could have been. 😢 I was so fortunate to grow up during the radio years where the Carpenters music was in heavy rotation on both AM and FM radio. It was a magical time. Thank you for posting. 🥰
This is real talent, this is wonderful music, this is pure beauty, this is deep emotion, this is magnificent art... Applause from Brazil!!!
+rpsnet Couldn't agree more!
+rpsnet: I'm in total agreement with you.
viva os carpenters!!!
rpsnet Nobody can’t even begin to say how perfect Karen’s voice was.There has not been anyone since to match it....it’s absolutely unbelievable...
Karen forever.
"No words of consolation will make me miss you less..."
My heart just breaks, watching this video again. This was THE last time I & most of us, ever saw Karen sing. I recall being shocked at how thin she was --it just didn't look right, & there was a sadness in her eyes, I had never before then, noticed. I believe --could be wrong here, but I don't think so--that " Touch Me When We're Dancing" came out after this, & in the music vid, Karen looked so thin, I knew there was something deeply, tragically, wrong. It made watching that video, impossible. ---Karen's voice was just unlike any other I've ever heard. I miss her, every day. Wolfsky9
She sang much later. Look for videos of her even skinnier; it’s like watching a skeleton perform.
That song "Someday".... just listened with my eyes closed.
What a team these two were, richard the "musical brain child", and sister karen,s "golden girl" voice!
I can't hear You've Only Just Begun without tearing up. It's one of the saddest songs of all time.
*We've Only Just Begun
yes the irony is too painful
The perfect combination: Burt Bacharach compositions, Richard Carpenter arrengments and the incredible voice of Karen. This definitely doen´t make it easy on me. I´m crying already.
Nelson Riddle arrangements.
THAT VOICE! THEE VOICE! as pure as the purest untouched spring, as smooth and clear as the finest silk, as rich and moving and intimate as the smell of the most intoxicating burning wood.. add in how she was the epitome of a singer who sang TO YOU NOT AT YOU, to where you felt she was sitting next to you and singing ONLY FOR YOU, her perfect diction and enunciation of every syllable for every word for every song she ever sang, how she emoted and phrased and told the story of the song, makes her in my opinion the greatest female singer of love and romance found and lost ever.. truly a once in a lifetime or two lifetime talent....
I've said almost the very same thing. When Karen sings, it sounds as if she's exactly right in front of you, singing personally and directly to you. I know that iffy, questionable, bizarre, and that I must sound like a lunatic..... but trust me.... That's that's precisely what it feels like. I know I'm just a knucklehead fanboy deluxe.....don't mind me. I miss her so much. We all do.
Exactly my thoughts I just couldn’t put them into words 😂 that’s how she sings, so different from any others.
Could not have said it any better, totally agree with everything you said. Karen’s voice has soothed me since i was 12 yrs old taking notice of lyrics and voices seriously. Am 61 now and pretty sure i will never hear a better singer.
I think this is the most beautiful piece Richard Carpenter arranged for Carpenters. Just stunning!!!!
Agreed 100%. I don't know how I missed or forgot about this medley, but I heard it today and was blown away by it. It is absolutely their best medley they did, by a LONG shot. So beautifully arranged-- It stays in this beautiful, special place and never leaves... it's soothing and powerful. That orchestral/choral swell at the end during "We've Only Just Begun" just washes over you like a warm and inviting wave of love... and makes me want to cry every time.
ABSOLUTELY! There's no voice even comparable to Karen's and as far as the magic between these two, UNTOUCHABLE !
Karen Carpenter was one of the superior singers of the 20th century.
You Got That Right....AMEN!
i wudnt say one of the. i wud say the most superior female vocaltist of 21st century
The Best!💙
Absolutely
"THE" singer of the 20th century...2022...
It was this kind of talent that won Karen Carpenter 3 grammys. Surely had she not passed so young there would be several more on her shelf.
Arkady you stole my comment! 😃
She’d definitely have a few more, without a doubt. Whether it be by music, producing, or directing (she wanted to write and star in musicals).
gives me goosebumps up and down my spine in the beauty of her voice as well as makes me bawl everytime i hear this medley! as she sings "make it easy on yourself" so moving, when she sings "someday" so haunting and intimate and beyond beautiful and then of course "we've only just begun" where when i listen to her and her brother's harmonies together when they sing together "we smile, so much of life ahead, will find a place where there's room to grow"... i just melt down to my soul in it's beauty and perfection and yes, sadness.....the most beautiful voice i have ever heard and i know i will ever hear..
Thumbs up, Thomas!!! Way up. I know exactly what you mean.
drogersnm well thanks for the compliment and you have good taste as well! i was just thinking if only if only i could have actually been on that set listening to that voice throughout the soundstage! i mean you talk about thinking you were in heaven! it would have been on my bucket list! as you might (and others) surmise she is my favorite female singer of all time! while i have many other favorite female and male singers in various genres, she is "IT" for me at the top..
thomas schmitz I'm right there with you Thomas
+thomas schmitz Karen and Richard's backing vocals on this, (not the O.K. Chorale) are so slick and flawless here. They just got better and better production wise as they went along in their career. It would be interesting to see where they would be now in the world of music,...much needed I would have to say.
+fool4singing put that down to Richard's orchestration and leadership
She was the greatest female singer, her brother Richard had awesome talent. I just love the Harmonies. RIP Karen. love your music
How I miss my favorite female vocalist... Thank you Karen and Richard!
This is The true meaning of Music perfection
One can only imagine what her career would have been, had she not passed away. Her voice is timeless.
Carpenters: Forever in my life, forever in my heart...
Heavenly. I just close my eyes, and Karen's voice takes me to another dimension. Glad I grew up listening to best female singing voice the world has ever known. ❤
I totally agree, no one has come close to Karen's voice or ever will.
Sometimes I forget how much I missed the goodness that was the Carpenters.
"Someday" is beyond magical. She has such command of her voice, and she really tells the story, filling it with promise and optimism. It's a lovely thing to watch and hear. A very grownup love song, sung by a grownup, which Karen had finally become.
For her level of skill & technique, she remains untouchable even 2day. Just phenomenal!
i bawl everytime i hear her sing someday whether this version or the original version... gets me EVERY TIME!.. the lyrics AND THAT VOICE and of course no one told the story of the song, emoted and phased the song better and she was and is and always will be THEE epitome of the singer who sang TO YOU, NOT AT YOU!...
Extraordinary to think she recorded the original album track when she was just 19 and apparently had a cold on the day of the recording! Thankfully, she got a chance to re-record it, at least partially, for this TV special. "Someday"is one of Carpenters' hidden gems.
LWOPP----Spot On Comment!
Someday is one of my favorite songs by them and she had such an angelic voice, she inspired me to play drums and I just love her. I wish she was around today. Love you Karen!
Not only a beautiful voice, but how could you not fall in love with this beautiful woman.
She was absolutely adorable. Sad to see her lose weight like that
Karen's voice was as smooth as silk and as clear as crystal .
You've got that right.
There are songs that only Karen can sing! She was and still is amazing! outstanding!
Voice of an angel
The Carpenters' songs evoke intense deep emotions... There is irony in many of the lyrics. Karen was a sweet genuine person -- so dearly missed!
Her tone has not yet been replicated by anyone - someday I hope it will be.
Don't count on it. Not in our lifetime. When God made her..... He broke the mold.
exactly, not just a once in a lifetime voice, but once in 2 lifetimes ( or more) voice...
I don't think it ever will
+mbblover .....I like to think of her as the premier. female voice of the 20th Century. I know, everyone else swears up and down that it got to be Barbra Streisand, hands down. Barbra has no people skills, and is a bitch on wheels, to boot. Karen was beautiful inside and out. Not a bad bone in her body did she possess, the milk of human kindness, salt of the earth, her character and soul was a tribute, and as witnessed by her friends and peers, was shown to be a perfect example of what a real human being is made out of. Did that make sense, or is this gibberish. She Was ' Da BOMB'!!!
apples and oranges the comparison between karen and barbra.. karen was more the crooner, barbra more the belter.... i still think karen was THEE epitome of the singer who sang TO YOU, and don't you and everyone wants that in regards to a love and romance song? also think barbra tended to "show off" and "get off" on hearing herself sing... barbra used a sledgehammer and karen a feather to reach the listener... karen let her voice and how she told the story of the song to reach the listener, barbra used her powerful voice and theatrics to do so... in closing, both are great singers obviously, just different styles, even richard her brother said that karen was just as great as barbra just different styles... streisand when she first met karen told her she had a "marvelous instrument' (GEE, YOU THINK?!).... and while so love streisand's powerful vocal ability and soaring vocals, for me, karen using her lower register is just as powerful and moving as streisand using her high vocals.... also, i believe that karen could have sung anything barbra sang... i can't imagine barbra singing any of karen's uptempo songs....
Thanks to the Carpenters for making me - and certainly millions of people - happy throughout more than four decades...Thank you for posting this superb video too.
As Desi Arnaz was the unsung mastermind behind Lucille Ball's comic superstardom, Richard's incredibly lush and beautiful arrangements served as the perfect counterpoint to Karen's heavenly voice and purity. The Bacharach medley is flawless.. His work was simply amazing and deserves more credit than usually given.
Such a beautiful example of why the Carpenters remain one of the most important acts in popular music. Their sheer musicality; the detail, the elegance, and that voice.
This is the best video of Karen Carpenter, how beautiful she is and how well she sings and the choirs, wonderful
The world misses you Karen
One of the greatest performances they ever did...absolutely superb.
She was sweet with her voice. Brought tears to my eyes. Always remember them years ago.
I've always felt that the pain she carried in her mind gave her voice that special quality that reached into my heart and told me that she was there for me. I love her and miss her. Thank you Karen for being there on those lonely days and weeks.
😢😢 It makes me very sad , to hear such Angelic Voice and know she went so early in her life 🙏🙏🌹🌹❤❤
Her voice brings out so many feelings I have. I miss her....
happy happy happy. I'm too young and know carpenters until these days. It also can remind me love, hope and beautiful things in life.
Stunningly beautiful
I still miss her. There is not now or will there ever be another one like her. She just cannot be replicated
HEAVENLY and she is dressed so BEAUTIFULLY!!!!!!!!!!...Luv you Karen..
Such a beautiful medley. The Capenters is the world's treasure.
God, I got goosebumps listening to this. Karen was just awesome.
Wow! Kudos to whoever remastered the sound... what a combination... great songs, REAL LIVE musicians, Richard's arrangements and Karen's voice... can't get any better than this clip...
The Carpenters rule in the vocal category! And all else!
Wow!!! This video i've never seen. What a perfect set of various melodies to listen to online. Karen Carpenter captured the tone and nuances of the lyrics and melodies. Along witn Richard's adept touch on the keyboard and piano, their gorgeous voices blend effortlessly together.
Thank you so much for uploading this video. It was sheer heaven to my ears. Gosh, i wish Karen was still here to move the public with her angelic voice. There is no one that can hold a candle to these two masters at music making. Their group is sorely missed. 🎹🎶🎼🎤💖
This is what silk sounds like!!!
If this golden voice young lady was still alive.. the whole map of singing worldwide would have been reshaped around her...
Beautiful medley! Beautiful voice! nobody could do it with that perfection!! Karen I gonna miss you rest of my life beautiful angel!! Nobody like you.....nobody!
HEAVEN must be like this. 💞💞
Compare this to what's called entertainment music in modern times! The Carpenters will NEVER be matched.... EVER! God rest Karen's beautiful soul!
This medley is ….
(I am speechless) ….
Thank u Richard and Karen for REAL music!
Most beautiful voice. Unmatched. I’m learning new old songs because of them. I like Knowing When to Leave, searched other versions and hers is just the best, so beautiful. 🥰💕
Beautifully remastered. I have watched this many times. (Saw it when it first aired, and I don't think it sounded this good.) Thank you.
Yes. Back then, stereo on over-the-air television did not exist. So viewers heard the usual mono mix. Fortunately, Richard was smart to record & save full isolated tracks prior to taping (a typical practice) that could be remastered later for inclusion on future stereo albums.
Today we can enjoy the music -in stereo- synced perfectly with the original video. Great job!
Wow is all I have to say! The Carpenters are so awesome! The music brings good chills to my spine and I hope those chills never go away!
This stunning performance by Karen and Richard brought tears to my eyes. If this is not divine and heavenly, what is?
Talent, beauty, excellence, emotion and art! Applause from Brazil!
Wow what an absolute performance from my favorite Karen and Richatd Carpenters.
Karen is absolutely amazing & her voice is flawless! I miss her so much! :(
The entire package...music, vocals, harmony...the had it all musically! Miss them and their unique music!
Brings tears to my eyes!
I keep coming back to this video just to hear the harmonies starting at 1:42
it's like listening to a drum corps warming up it is just that good and her voice is hauntingly good, I try to match the pitch from her and Richard with my voice. My singing voice left me after high school 28 years ago
Poor Earl😞
blktenor So I'm not the only one.
So wonderful
I had the pleasure to see them in concert twice i kept bugging my parents to take me and lucky for me they did I'll never forget it. Karen i miss you for in my life I've never been touched like this before
I'll never know how we did it. but my Mum and I managed to get front-row seats for their concert at Birmingham Hippodrome on their (postponed from the previous year) UK tour in November 1976. They had an audience participation segment in that show during "Sing", and Karen came along the front row on our side of the theatre. Mum and I actually got to share a mic briefly with the greatest female pop singer of all time, it still astonishes me, 46 years later!
Karen looked alarmingly thin here but not totally unhealthy. As always, her voice is spectacular. If only someone could have helped her.
I Know!!! What A Mess. Such a great loss. Now who is going to sing to us like she did.......No one. She was one of a kind. I'm trying not to cry.....It's not working...